Shippensburg University president leaving for University of Northern Iowa

By Heather Stauffer,
February 7, 2013 at 4:00 PM
- Last modified: February 7, 2013 at 4:51 PM

Bill Ruud. Submitted photo.

The University of Northern Iowa announced today that Bill Ruud will be its next president.

Ruud has been president of Shippensburg University since 2007. Shippensburg is one of 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. It had a fall 2012 enrollment of more than 7,700 students and has more than 300 full-time faculty members.

During Ruud’s tenure, Shippensburg has experienced increased enrollment; seen a double-digit increase in applications, including those from minority students; continued to have the highest graduation rate (seven years in a row) in PASSHE; and expanded graduate programs to areas such as Harrisburg, Hanover and York.

Ruud will assume the duties of UNI president on June 1 and will be paid an annual salary of $340,000.

“While visiting UNI, he received strong support from the campus and the community,” said Farzad Moussavi, UNI presidential search and screen committee co-chairman. “He also was uniformly endorsed by various constituent groups that have worked with him in his capacity as president. The search committee was unanimous in its decision to advance his name for the Board of Regents' consideration."

UNI has more than 12,000 students and more than 650 full-time faculty members and is one of three state-supported universities in Iowa. U.S. News and World Report ranked UNI in the top three among Midwest public comprehensive universities for the past 16 years.